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Prep to Year 2 Production - Cinderella and the Rock-a-Fella

The confidence to ‘dance like nobody’s watching’ is something that eludes most of us.

The confidence to ‘dance like nobody’s watching’ is something that eludes most of us. We worry about what others may think and find it difficult to be entirely in the moment with no concern for how others may see us. This is not the case for young children, who love nothing more than to dance and sing with little or no regard for how they might look or indeed sound. The Prep, Year 1and Year 2 girls spent last week in the limelight as they performed in their annual production. They certainly did not disappoint.

Their incredible joy is a delight to behold. Both performances were outstanding and reflected the considerable talents of the girls performing.

Young performers can often be unpredictable and surprise both their teachers and the audience with the unscripted ad-libbing that inevitably eventuates and leaves us often expecting the unexpected. What I most enjoyed about the production was the opportunity to see girls coming into their own. Many girls surprised us with their performances, demonstrating confidence and self-belief beyond what we normally see. It is these performances that remind of the power of the performing arts within a rich and broad learning programme.

The story of Cinderella is a fairy tale with a clear message: that kindness matters. Cinderella’s stepmother and stepsisters are a strong reminder of what happens when we focus too much on the individual with little or no care for others. They illustrate the consequences of not dealing with problems and having to experience disappointment and failure before learning to be considerate and kind towards others. The stepsisters are indulged and enabled by their mother, who is effectively disabling them from thriving, or even coping in the real world. The farcical manner in which our girls played these characters demonstrated that stories such as these remain interesting to them and provide rich learning experiences, reminding us all of the universal need to be cared for.

Ruyton has an outstanding reputation for excellence in the education of girls and young women. This reputation is founded on strong academic results and high levels of participation in co-curricular activities.